[BOAI] Open Access uptake prompts 9% price reduction for The EMBO Journal and EMBO reports

[Peter Suber]

[Forwarding from Nature.  --Peter Suber.]


PRESS RELEASE FROM NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP

12 November 2009
For Immediate release
Contact: Grace Baynes
Corporate Public Relations, Nature Publishing Group
T:+44 (0)20 7014 4063
g.baynes at nature.com


Open Access uptake prompts 9% price reduction for The EMBO Journal and
EMBO reports

Prices for site licence access to The EMBO Journal and EMBO reports
will be reduced by 9% in 2010, reflecting the increased publication of
Open Access content in 2008. Nature Publishing Group (NPG) and the
European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) announced the decision
today, following ratification by the EMBO Council.

“We’ve taken into account all of the relevant data in reaching this
decision, including the number of Open Access articles published in
2008,” said David Hoole, Head of Content Licensing, NPG. “This change
reflects the recent growth in the amount of Open Access content in
both journals and the corresponding partial coverage of publication
costs by author charges.”

For the 2010 subscription year, there will be a 9% reduction on the
2009 site licence list price. This reduction is net of an annual
inflationary price increase. Print and personal subscription prices
are unaffected.

“We are delighted to be able to offer real savings to our library
customers, based on the hybrid business model,” said David Hoole in a
letter to customers. “We hope this helps ease some of the pressure on
library budgets, while increasing access to the academic literature.”

For the 2011 subscription year onwards, both the site licence price
and author fees will be considered in an effort to achieve equitable
distribution of the costs of publication. This evaluation will involve
an in-depth review of all factors relevant to the publication process,
including the proportion of Open Access content and authors' ability
to pay for Open Access and other publication-related costs.

NPG publishes The EMBO Journal and EMBO reports on behalf of EMBO. An
Open Access option on both journals was introduced in January 2007.
NPG has implemented hybrid models across many of its academic
journals, and expects some of those titles to show price reductions in
due course, as the volume of open access increases.

NPG will be contacting customers individually. Customers who have
already paid for a 2010 subscription should contact their NPG sales
representative or subscription agent to claim an adjustment.